This Iconic Midwest Stuffed Sandwich Is Worth Crossing State Lines For

If you are not from the Midwest, you may never have heard of a runza sandwich before. They're so popular in places like Nebraska that there's an entire restaurant chain named after them. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz named it his favorite place in Nebraska. If you are a fan of sandwiches stuffed to the brim with meat and vegetables, or Hot Pockets for that matter, it's worth giving a Runza a try.

The dish traces its origins to German-Russian immigrants in the 18th century and was stuffed with beef and sometimes sauerkraut. They were adapted from the Russian pirog, a kind of meat pie. The word Runza may be a twist on the German word "runsa," meaning bun-shaped. The dish is also known as a bierock and can be prepared in different shapes. The Nebraska runza is a rectangle, but if you travel to Kansas, you'll find the dish referred to as a bierock, which is ypically be round.

The name Runza is also a trademark of the restaurant chain. The first Runza restaurant opened in Nebraska in 1949,and the chain has 93 locations listed on its website, including a few in Kansas, Colorado, and Iowa. The chain's runza is made from a yeast dough and baked with a filling of seasoned beef, onion, and cabbage. There are other versions on the Runza menu, such as the Cheese Runza made with American cheese, the Swiss Mushroom Runza, and the Southwest Runza made with salsa and tortilla strips.

When the Nebraska Cornhuskers play home games at Memorial Stadium, Runza sandwiches are on the menu, and thousands are sold every game. They cost $7, which isn't too bad since a Bud Light in the stadium is $11. A Runza from an Omaha location is $5.89.

As you might expect from the number of locations in Nebraska, the Runza has fans. "I get lunch at Runza roughly once every two weeks or so. The Swiss mushroom Runza is fantastic," said one Redditor responding about whether a Runza was worth trying. "The Runza is to Nebraska what the croissant is to France," another said. A third commenter put it succinctly, "They are the absolute best!"

Not all Runza sandwich fans love them because of the restaurant. Remember, this is a local delicacy and the most iconic sandwich in the state of Nebraska. "I love Runzas! I grew up in Nebraska and the best ones were when the church ladies had a sale and you could buy homemade ones," one Redditor said. Yet another endorsement for Ree Drummond's biggest source of inspiration. 

One thing worth noting for first-time visitors to the restaurant is that everything at Runza is made fresh daily. Some customers have pointed out that this can lead to issues with consistency because employees and locations may prepare them slightly differently each time. One location may therefore make what some people feel is a better version of the exact same Runza. Elsewhere, Runza has been criticized for being all hype and little substance. One TripAdvisor reviewer criticized the sandwiches for being "overpriced, bland, greasy fast food."